​

 

🛡️ The Messer family story begins with George Messer (1822–Deceased) and Barbara Kuhn (1827–Deceased), steadfast German settlers whose faith and perseverance laid the foundation of a lineage that would span nearly two centuries. Their descendants carried forward a tradition of craftsmanship, conviction, and Christian devotion that defined their name across generations.
 

 

Their son Joseph John Messer (1862–1916) married Maria Theresia Steets (1867–1910), uniting two devout Pennsylvania-German families. Their child, Joseph George Messer Jr. (1889–1961), and Elizabeth Mona Haibig (1892–Deceased) strengthened the family through both faith and service, connecting the Messer name to the Haibig and Reuter lines from Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
 

 

Joseph J. Messer (1920–2008), a World War II veteran, and Catherine Eileen Donaldson (1921–2010) continued the line through honor and resilience. Their son, Donald Joseph Messer (1948–2020), and his wife Louise Debra Messer (1952–Living), wove together the Messer and Canneto-Morris branches — anchoring the family in New Jersey with a renewed spirit of faith, family, and creative purpose.
 

 

On the 76th Anniversary of Donald’s birthday in 2024, the Messer legacy entered a new era with the formal establishment of the House of Messer Trust, a private ecclesiastical family trust dedicated to preserving generational wealth, heritage, and faith-based stewardship. Founded in his father’s memory, the S.P. Trustee hopes the Trust embodies his father’s sacrificial decorated service with the special forces of the United States Military and the enduring moral framework he hopes to instill in his family.
 

 

At the helm stands Christopher Vaughn Messer (born 1976), known publicly as Chris Vaughn — filmmaker, musician, and trustee — whose creative accomplishments and unwavering faith continue to illuminate the Messer name. Alongside his wife Shannon Colette (born 1974), he guides their children Christian Vaughn (1999), Jayden Marc (2002), and Zane Michael (2012) in carrying forward a vision that unites their faith and family, honor, and divine purpose for the True Christian Faith.

 

The House of Messer Trust, established in 2024 — the year Donald would have turned 76 — stands as both a spiritual covenant and a living archive of the Messer family’s enduring truth:

 

“Faith is our inheritance. Legacy is our duty.”

​

​